Is the Climate Improving? 23 June 1877. Did you ever wonder how long the changing climate has been the topic of conversation? ” There can be no doubt that since 1852 the seasons have been more favorable in this part of Australia than they were previous to that time; but if there be any truth in the conclusions I have expressed in the work you mention, we cannot expect that this favorable change will continue, and the losses which have been caused by the present drought should at least convince those interested that droughts are not a thing of the past.”
Scientific & Useful (1877, June 23). The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 – 1939), p. 11. Retrieved March 11, 2023, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/19774527?searchTerm=climate%20change%20in%20australia&searchLimits=#
BY W. LANDSBOROUGH. IN reply to a question of mine, to H. C. Russell, Esq., the Government Astronomer of New South Wales (who has published lately a most useful work on the climate of Australia)—If there was anything in the popular notion that severe frosts usually followed rain in winter? he kindly gave me the following, opinion :— “I do not think that rain falling at the beginning of winter is the cause of frost. It is rather an indication of great change in temperature, due to some unknown cause. Of course such a sudden fall of temperature will probably be followed by more cold weather and frosts. The winters you name—viz., 1856 and 1858— were the coldest on record here, and in both the rainfall of February, March, and April was considerably below the average. So of 1859 and and 1865: March, April, and May of each year were very dry, and the winters were yery cold. No law can be laid down from the observations made so far on this subject; it is one of great interest to me, and when you see my book, if you look at the first diagram, temperature curve is in 1873 one of the wettest years on record. It might fairly be said that the winter only lasted three months, with very little change in the mean temperature of June, July, and August.” In reply to my question—If he thought the climate of Australia was improving ? Mr. Russell says :—” There can be no doubt that since 1852 the seasons have been more favorable in this part of Australia than they were previous to that time; but if there be any truth in the conclusions I have expressed in the work you mention, we cannot expect that this favorable change will continue, and the losses which have been caused by the present drought should at least convince those interested that droughts are not a thing of the past.” With regard to the effect of vegetation on the climate, very diverse views are expressed by those interested in it. My own mind is not made up on the question, for there are so many circumstances to consider before coming to a conclusion, that it is difficult know which way the balance of evidence leans ; but one fact is generally acknowledged—viz., that our climate is better than it was. This is to me a curious comment on the view which attributes increased rain to increase of timber, for if we have been in the colony doing one thing more than another, it is destroying the timber, and yet the seasons have improved.” There can, I think, be no doubt whatever that great droughts have affected all the earth. Even England has repeatedly suffered from drought, and they must therefore have a distant, or cosmical, cause. Our work is doubtless to find out that cause, and we may then expect to know beforehand when we shall have dry seasons. Mr. Russell adds:—” May I make, in return, one request from you: Should my book recall to your memory facts bearing on its matter, which I have not published, would you kindly let me know? The question of ‘periodicity’ in our climate is one of great importance, and I hope to add facts to those already published. You see that I have mentioned a tradition amongst the blacks of a very great drought; it would be interesting to know if such tradition exists amongst the blacks of Queensland.”